Page 111 of Chasing Hope

Irving leans forward, a glassy-eyed smile on his face. He has his arms around two women I’ve never seen before. “Just squeeze in. It’s only ten minutes away.”

The driver holds up his hands in surrender before heading to the front.

Scoffing out a laugh, I mutter under my breath, “Well, he’s not very helpful.”

“Go on, Dove, you can sit on my lap. Put the seatbelt over both of us.”

I frown up at Matteo as the driver starts the car. “That’s extremely dangerous.”

“Hurry up!” Irving calls. “I have the keys.”

Both our eyes widen as we realize everyone’s fatal mistake in not letting Irving go in the first car.

“Shit,” Matteo mutters.

Irving is none the wiser, his attention wholly focused on the two giggling women. He whispers in one’s ear, only to turn to the next and whisper in hers.

Matteo’s hand lands softly on my back. “Come on, it’s just around the corner.” Craning his head, he grabs the driver’s attention, sending a seething warning glare in his direction. “You better drive slow and careful, buddy.”

He waves him off. “Yes, sir.”

Matteo gets in first, his large frame barely able to fit in the backseat. His knees basically fold into his waist. Holding out his hand, I slide mine in his and let him direct me. I try to tell my heart to get a grip but it does no such thing. In fact, it skips a beat as Matteo maneuvers me to sit on his lap, then buckles us both in.

Matteo keeps a firm hold on me, steadying me, as the driver pulls out of Grayson’s driveway.

Music fills the car, the lights turning off and submerging us into pitch darkness save for the lone streetlamps.

The car ambles over a bump, sending my body up and back down on Matteo’s lap. As Irving and the two girls giggle amongst themselves, it seems I’m the only one who heard Matteo’s groan of torture.

Chapter 32

Matteo

ICEHAWKS BITCHES

LEWIS

I swear to fucking god….

did anyone think to grab Irving’s keys off him?

O’CONNOR

oh fuck

Ashford, you got them?

ASHFORD

nope, dropping Emmy off. Mitchel was meant to let everyone into Irving’s

MITCHEL

I forgot

he was busy with puck bunnies

JOHNSON